Taylor: Subs Bring Freshness and Energy
Thursday, 26th Mar 2026 12:51 by Kallum Brisset
Town midfielder Jack Taylor believes the introduction of five substitutes has allowed the Blues to be more aggressive in their approach.
Since the 2022/23 season, EFL clubs have been permitted to make up to five alterations during a match, having been brought in initially as a temporary measure during Covid.
Kieran McKenna almost always uses all his substitutions, often enabling him to replace the entire front four and freshen the Blues’ attack during the second half of matches.
It means starting players are less worried about tiring themselves out towards the closing stages, and Taylor says it helps McKenna explain his selection decisions.
“He pulls certain individuals when they’re being rotated for certain games, which is good,” he said. “It’s more freshness if anything. You want to attack from the first minute, you don’t want to be carrying legs and then hopefully you’ll be rotated back in.
“Since they brought in the five subs, it’s a great addition. To bring lads on after 60-70 minutes, they bring extra freshness and energy to the side.”
In his own area of the pitch, Taylor has faced a battle for a starting berth alongside Jens Cajuste and January signing Dan Neil, while Marcelino Núñez is also an option to partner the virtually ever-present Azor Matusiwa in Town’s engine room.
Discussing Sunderland loanee Neil, Taylor said: “It’s great to have another lad in there. First and foremost, he’s a really nice lad and I get along with him really well.
“What he’s brought to the team over the last couple of weeks is what we’ve needed, whether coming off the bench or starting games.
“It’s healthy to have the competition and I’m ready to go whenever as always. Competition is going to be healthy towards the business stage of the season.
“A couple in possession things he’s asked me about. The style of play is a little bit different to what he’s been used to at Sunderland. It’s just getting the roles nailed down and your responsibilities in that role.
“He can play across both roles, he’s good enough to do that and we’ll need him towards the end of the season.”
Town’s other winter recruit has impressed in more attacking areas, Anis Mehmeti having been signed from Championship rivals Bristol City for a reported fee of just £3 million.
“He’s moulded in really well and he’s a really nice lad as well,” Taylor said of the Albania international.
“You want to bring in good people and good players. He’s adjusted really well to how we want to play, and he’s showing his qualities really well at the minute.”
As the Blues prepare to enter the business end of the season, the fixture schedule through April has become stacked as Championship matches are pencilled into the calendar in time for the season finale in May.
Taylor says intensity in training has been the same since the early stages of the campaign, and that it helps to keep players match fit and sharp.
The 27-year-old said: “It’s what you want as a player. You want to go into different games and whether you win, lose or draw, you want to brush it off and attack the next game.
“If you win, you want to keep the momentum going. If you drop points, you want to make amends in the next couple of days. It’s perfect for us players.
“Training is less when we have a three-game week, so it will be different in that terms. I don’t think it changes a lot from the first week to now.
“You want players fit and ready to go, you don’t want to under-train them because they’re not going to be up to sharpness on a matchday. It’s pretty similar from the start.
“Everyone got through pre-season really well, and touch wood we’ve not had loads of big injuries which is a credit to the sports science department and the physios.”
Before all that, though, is a hugely important week on the international scene for the Republic of Ireland.
The Boys in Green are two wins away from the World Cup, with victory over the Czech Republic in Prague this evening required to set up a home showdown with either Denmark or North Macedonia for a ticket to North America in the summer.
Taylor, who has been capped 10 times to date, said: “It’s going to be a massive week for us. If we can get to the World Cup, it would be incredible for the nation so I’m looking forward to that.”
Photo: TWTD
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